Former A’s Pitcher Jeff Samardzija – ‘No Chance’ To $7,500 A Month Rent In San Francisco

Jeff Samardzija, Oakland A's, PitcherJeff Samardzija of the Oakland Athletics pitches against the Houston Astros in the third inning at O.co Coliseum on September 5, 2014 in Oakland, California. (Noah Graham/Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Ever wonder what happens when a professional athlete is traded mid-season, in terms of living arrangements in their new city?

Jeff Samardzija, who was traded last July by the Chicago Cubs to the Oakland A’s, took a unique approach, telling USA Today he stayed in “so many different San Francisco hotels, he lost count.”

Samardzija sold his two condos in Chicago after the trade and also put his lake house in Indiana up for sale. But he decided against renting in the Bay Area during what ended up being a brief stay with the A’s.

“I didn’t feel like picking up another lease so I hotel-hopped. I could write a review of five-star hotels in San Francisco,” Samardzija tells USA Today. “I’d say The Four Seasons was the best, followed by the St. Regis. I guess I could have rented a place in San Francisco, but they were charging like $7,500 for a loft. I was like, no chance dude.”

Samardzija earned $5.4 million last year.

The 30-year-old starting pitcher signed a one-year deal with the Chicago White Sox in the off-season and is in the same situation, having no place to call home. So he’s renting in downtown Chicago.